Signing

CiCi loves to sign. In August we started attended a sing and sign class through Kindermusik. She loved the class, but never really signed. As part of the class we got a music CD and a DVD. She loved listening to the CD in the car, so I tried out the DVD. The DVD had many of the same songs, but with kids signing. She was fascinated. She would sit in my lap and watch it very closely... and then it started. Her first sign was FRIEND. Then MOMMY (she won't say Mommy, but she signs it - so cute) Then she learned WORK from the song I've Been Working on the Railroad - CiCi thinks that song is the greatest song ever written. I don't know what good learning work is for her right now, but whenever she does it I say, "Yes, Daddy's at work". Next she learned MILK - this one has been very useful. Then she learned EAT and this week she learned MORE and NIGHT-NIGHT. She also claps whenever she hears Good Job, she waves whenever she hears Bye, she puts her head on my shoulder whenever someone says Hello to her. She will put her finger up to her mouth for Shhh.
She has a few others we don't understand, but they clearly mean something to her. The funniest one is she puts her finger in her nose. She means something by this - seriously. And she is so frustrated we can't figure it out. She often does it when we are about to take her out of her carseat. Any ideas as to the meaning of this randomly hilarious sign???

Side note - I actually took ASL in college and worked at the Mississippi School for the Deaf as an intern and a student teacher. I was so gungho to teach this to Arby when he was a baby, but he started talking so early (3 word sentences by the time he turned one) that he really wasn't interested. With Kenz I don't know what happenned, but he never signed anything except I Love You -which he signs to me all the time (awwwwww)
I have to say I am thrilled that CiCi is so interested. I truly feel every person should learn it. We all have the potential to become deaf (or hard of hearing) one day and if it happens to you it sure would help your quality of life to be able to communicate with others. My Grandma can't hear and I sure wish she (and all of us around her) knew some sign language so that she wouldn't have to miss out on so much. Just one of my many soapboxes...

I'm still not finished posting precious pics...

Chickenbus

OK - so I am not computer savvy. The other thing I can not figure out how to do - post more than five pics at a time. So I will add a few more birthday pics here while also giving you a brief explanation of Chickenbus.

I am not one to pick up and start using random words, but this one I just love and it fits perfectly for so many occasions and I can say it around the kids and not worry if they mimic me.

What does this word mean?

Well I am sure you have figured that out...

but from where did I find it??

I don't fully remember the story (so C. or anyone else who remembers you can chime in on the comments portion of this post), but it started with a fellow adoptive mom who chose to foster her baby in Antigua. While there her case hit a few snags and she stayed longer than anticipated. Chickenbus!

Why chickenbus?

It is the name of certain buses driven around Guatemala. They are packed with people, inside and out, and I guess they may also carry a few chickens. And they are often driven by madmen (or men that drive like my DH).

So start using Chickenbus. It sure beats having your kids repeat other colorful language we moms may find ourselves using.. um...occasionally.

My Birthday Girl

CiCi had so much fun. I was a bit worried she would be overwhelmed by all the people at our house, but it did not bother her one bit. She played and smiled and went to other adults (shocking achievement). She loved all the attention, which was clearly given to her by all.

AND she loved her cake.

I wish I could figure out how to post a pic then write about it, then post another pic and write about it, but I am baffled. This story would be so much more interesting if I could tell it alongside pictures (any help from blogland would be appreciated).

But I will try to give you the details here.

In one pic you will see CiCi's cake - the good side. In another you will see - the bad side. I had a friend make the cake for me. She is talented. I am not. Her cakes both look and taste good. A winning combination.

As we were pressed for time between soccer games, end of the season soccer party, and cleaning house and preparing food for guests, I had the grand idea of sending my DH with the kids to pick up the cake. More time for me to get ready without interruption. I didn't consider the fact that my DH is not a great driver, IMHO, and that the cake was stacked presents. So he arrives home with the top cake (CiCi's cake) flipped on to the bottom cake. Chickenbus!!!!

And the 3 kids had nothing to do with this. Kenz even let me know that dad drove normally. Exactly - suspicion confirmed.

That was really our only disaster (except for the way my house looked after the 15 kids that we invited left) so I guess I can't complain. And CiCi loved the cake as evidenced (word???) by the above (chickenbus that I can't figure this out) pictures.

The 15 kids mentioned above enjoyed opening CiCi's presents and she finally got the idea on the last one.

We ended our party with a follow up semi-party/get-together with our normal UT game-watching-friends.

So convenient to my DH that the time of our party worked out perfectly so as

a.) not to disturb his watching of the game and

b.) to be able to watch said game with his best buds.

c.) have a perfect reason not to help clean up.

Not a finger did he lift.

His friends left at halftime.

The game dragged on into overtime.

After that exhausting game it was,of course, time for him to go straight to bed.

This really should be a separate topic. :)

CiCi's Birthday Party

Today we celebrated CiCi's birthday, but I will tell all about it and post pics tomorrow because tonight I am exhausted and tomorrow is her actual birthday!!!!
I will say we had a blast
and she very much enjoyed her first cake.
Not shy about it .... AT ALL!!!!!!!

Note to Self

Never buy Halloween candy 3 weeks in advance!!!

My afternoon with Kenz that wasn't

Friday Kenz had a field trip. To see the community at work his Kindergarten class went to our local police and fire stations, the post office, and the library. After seeing these things they then ate at the park while listening to music, which is part of our local Pops at the Park on Fridays. All of these places are located in a central area in our town known as the Municipal Center. Unfortunately I could not attend this field trip because siblings are not allowed. I could, however, meet the class at the park and eat lunch. Kenz was happy that I could meet for lunch, but he let me know that this was the first time I had not gone on one of his field trips. Such guilt. Anyway I worked very hard to get CiCi down for an early nap. Mission accomplished and very proud was I. Of all days CiCi decides to sleep...forever. I am so not the rigid type when it comes to naps or schedules or anything really, but I do believe if a child is sleeping they need that sleep and I hate to wake a sleeping child. So I waited and I waited and then I knew that I must wake her. We were already five minutes late and if I waited any longer...
So I wake her up. I arrive at the park. I spot Kenz' class. I get out of the car with CiCi. I walk up to Kenz. He gives me a quick hug and runs off to play with friends. I say hello to two parents and then the teacher calls all the kids to get in line. To Leave. Two minutes. I was there for less than two minutes. I woke CiCi up from a perfectly nice nap for two minutes, and a quick hug. I watched my sweet boy walk away with his class. He was happy I came. That was really all he needed. To know that I showed up. But man did it hurt to watch him walk away. I have been through this before after having Kenz. I had to miss things with Arby because of the no sibling policy, but this really was a first with Kenz and I wasn't used to it.
Anyway... CiCi and I did enjoy our picnic lunch. We set out our blanket and set out our lunch. We listened to the somewhat relaxing-extremely-interesting-yet-not-so-good-but sorda-tolerable music.
I was amazed by how long CiCi stayed on that blanket. My boys would have lasted 3 minutes. Tops. Unless they really liked the food and then maybe an extra 2 minutes. CiCi sat and ate and played on that blanket for almost 45 minutes before she decided to venture off of it. I could not believe it. The difference between boys and girls???? Maybe so.

We've been busy

Always. And I really have tried to cut down on the after school activities, but I tell you what... we are always on the go I don't see this slowing down for about 15 more years, so I need to find a way to do it all and still find some quiet peaceful time - not just for me, but for the kids. Not that they think they want it, but I'm convinced that if they knew what it felt like they would at least want it every once in a while. :)

Right now our biggest after school activity is soccer. We love soccer. And it is so good for the boys. However, here was our Saturday morning schedule:

9:00 - Arby game

10:30 - Arby, CiCi and I watched my niece's game (different location)

The picture above is of Arby on the way back from my niece's game.

It is so rare for him to fall asleep in the middle of the day that I had to take a picture of it when we stopped at a red light.

11:00 - 12:00 - DH worked the concessions stand for soccer

11:30 - Kenz game

CiCi is such a good sport - she usually sits in her stroller cheering for her brothers and clapping every time she hears someone else clap. So cute!!!

then we went straight home to watch UT lose to 'Bama - this is not good for the family

then DH and Arby left for Houston - to watch (on Sunday) another football game (Titans..they won)

Sports are a part of our family. Always. Which is why we will forever be on the go. Kenz woke up this morning and placed his Titans jersey in my car. Why? Because he can't wear it to church, so he must leave it in the car in order to put it on as soon as church is over. We always go to lunch after church with my parents - knowing this Kenz suggested/decided that we must go to a restaurant with a TV so that he could, of course, watch the Titans play. All of this would be normal to me if my DH was here feeding this to him like he usually does - but today this was all Kenz' doing.

The picture of Kenz in the Titans jersey was from a different fan-crazed day, but I am adding it here since I didn't take a picture of it again today.

OK - well the picture of Kenz posted up at the top. I have finally figured out how to make all my pictures upright, but I still can't figure out how to place them where I want them to go. UGH!!!!

The State of Guatemalan Adoptions

Dear Friends and Family,

I know this is long, but please take a few minutes today to read it, as it means a lot to me. Due to the increasing sensationalistic and inflammatory recent media reports on international adoption and in particular, Guatemalan adoption, I feel the need to educate those of you who I know love and care about CiCi and us. It deeply pains me that the media's inaccurate reporting of the situation with Guatemalan adoptions lends people to view international adoptions with a skeptical eye, and what that does to the self esteem of internationally adopted children kills me. If the public truly understood the REAL issues going on in Guatemala, and what has happened in the past with other countries and adoptions, they would be shocked and enraged at the injustice. After meeting many adopting families while visiting Ciara in Guatemala and reading about and discussing the politics of adoption throughout our process, I think I have a real understanding of the issues. We were also lucky enough to work with our adoption agency, For This Child, run by Traci and Chip Orr. They work with Focus on Adoption - an organization that in conjunction with the US State Department helps keep international adoption an ethical, viable option for children in need. They have passed along a tremendous amount of information and wisdom which has helped me to more fully understand the state of Guatemalan adoptions today.
So why all the media attention and controversy lately concerning Guatemalan adoptions?
1. A Pending Crisis- a Misguided President in an election year, Guatemalan President Oscar Berger, has announced plans to effectively suspend all adoptions into the United States as of January 1, 2008. This leaves the lives of more than 5,000 children who have already been matched to adoptive parents in limbo. The birthparents for these children have already relinquished their parental rights and as a result, these children currently have no family home. The effective suspension destroys the prospect for the placement of these children in a permanent, safe and loving family. Even more disturbing, the Guatemalan government currently does not have the finances or facilities to provide housing for these 5,000 children. For these reasons, Joint Council urges you to support the Guatemala 5000 Initiative. If the president really cared about the poor and the children of Guatemala, his administration would be focused on improving their lives in Guatemala rather than stamping out adoption- a viable legal right that birth families and children are entiled to have.
President Berger also stands to gain MILLIONS from of all places- UNICEF.

2.UNICEF- A Misguided Aid Organization. UNCIEF does some very positive things for children around the world, but their misguided radical position on intercountry adoption is extremely detrimental to the children of Guatemala and other countries. UNICEF has reportedly pledged over $24 Million dollars to President Berger's political party ( and you thought the $$ was going to the children!) UNICEF's Stance on Intercountry Adoption Jeopardizes Children. The policies and rhetoric of UNICEF ignore the social, ethnic, and economic realities of many countries and advocate for reactionary legal reforms that restrict intercountry adoption to a point where children are forced to live in underfunded institutions rather than joining families abroad. Clearly, international adoption deserves rigorous oversight. And in a perfect world, it might make more sense to place orphans with relatives or neighbors in their home country. But in a perfect world, there would be no orphans in the first place. Guatemala today is a country that simply cannot support all its orphans. It is a country that needs inter-country adoption to provide a better life to at least a small percentage of the tens of thousands of children living in dire poverty. By UNICEF'S own statistics, 67% of the children there suffer from malnutrition. They need to recognize that change takes time and that hastily introduced reforms can do more harm than good.

3.THE HAGUE TREATY is being implemented by the US- good in theory, a disaster in reality. For the children the treaty was supposed to protect, the results have been catastrophic. PLEASE read the following link, especially the first few pages.
www.focusonadoption.com/p...upport.pdf
The article was written by Focus on Adoption and it provides an excellent summary of the issues.

What can you do to help?
1. By reading this email, and educating yourself, you can help squash the negative image and inaccurate information circulated by the media.

2.EASY- Click here to sign an online petition www.focusonadoption.com/index.html

3. This one takes More Effort, but it would be really helpful: www.jcics.org/Guatemala50...participate

THANK YOU for reading this. It means a lot to us.

CiCi told her first joke

This morning while making preparations for the day - making sure all children are wearing their UT finest - my DH decided it was necessary to teach CiCi how to give five. We did rounds of give me five with me and DH, DH and Kenz, Kenz to CiCi, DH to CiCi, me to Kenz and on and on. Eventually CiCi was giving five on command and DH felt prepared for today's game. After numerous give me fives just between CiCi and DH, CiCi takes her foot and gives my DH five and then starts laughing the cutest laugh you have ever seen. She absolutely knew she was being funny. Precious!!!
I can't believe I went all day without taking a single picture of CiCi in her UT cheerleader outfit!!! I'll be sure to take one next week.

We are all Sickly

Once again I have been MIA. The culprit this time: strep throat. First with Kenz, then me. I decided to cut to the chase and just start Arby on antibiotics. CiCi is still on her antibiotic from the ear infection, so hopefully she is protected.
My feelings about strep when only my kids used to get it:
Oh, well glad it is strep. They'll start you on antibiotics and you'll be feeling good by morning. Which by the way is always the case. With them...
My feelings now that I have been a victim. Never will I be glad that it is strep (instead of some stomach bug or other disgusting sickness - ok so maybe I'll change my mind on that, but...)
This has been the worst I have felt in forever!!!! It didn't help that my DH was out of town. I won't go into the details, but I was counting down the minutes until darkness showed up outside so that I could coerce CiCi to go to sleep - which worked. What did I do about the boys?? Watch TV as long as you like. Turn it off when you decide you are tired. Whatever you do - do not wake up me or CiCi. The next morning it was all I could do to bring Kenz (who had recovered) to school. Thank goodness CiCi was back to her happy-go-lucky self. And my DH found an earlier flight home this afternoon which helped immensely.

Um...Why are we awake???

I have no answer to this question. It is 4:05. I still have not slept tonight. CiCi slept from 9:30 till 1:00 - hardly a good nights sleep - yet she seems to think that she does not need it. I tried everything to get her back to sleep. Then I decided to just let her watch her favorite show while I slept next to her. She enjoyed it. I didn't sleep. Then I decided to drive around in the car (at 2:30) so that she could be lulled to sleep. She fell asleep. Then she let me carry the very heavy Britax carseat all the way into my room to place inside her crib while she slept for the night. She waited until I had carried her all the way into the room. She even waited until I raised her up and into the crib before she opened her eyes and decided again that sleep really was not needed. I am at a loss. She has done this once before. The only connection I can make is teething -but she seems perfectly happy. I, on the otherhand, am not so thrilled. What's she doing right now? Eating Cheerios and playing with her musical toys. Perfectly content. Little stinker.

You Know You're a Dad (and a Cubs fan) when...

you resort to wearing Mickey Mouse ears as a rally cap

and you play indoor baseball with your son using your daughter's music shaker as a bat.

Poor, pitiful Cubs. Maybe next year...

What more can I say.

CiCi is a Sickly Little Mess

I have not stopped blogging - I just haven't had time to update. CiCi is sick, grumpy and completely attached to me.
Here's the deal. Last Wednesday I took CiCi to the doctor. I really feel she has an allergy to something out on the soccer fields. Between the two boys we are out there 4 times a week and everytime CiCi becomes a sneezing mess.
But, by Wednesday I felt the cold was dropping and I wanted to get her checked. Doctor agreed it was allergies and put her on Zyrtec.
Zyrtec seemed to be helping, so I was happy.
Over the weekend she seemed to be cutting two more teeth (already has 8 - can't believe she is working on more already) so on Monday when I noticed a warm head I thought - probably just teething.
Tuesday night she was on fire. I couldn't get her fever down with Tylenol. At 11:30 I sent DH to Walgreens to get Motrin or FeverAll. With the Motrin and washcloth baths I finally got her temp down to 100, but I took her to the doctor first thing Wednesday morning. The Dr. couldn't figure it out. He ran a CBC and the white blood count was normal. He thought maybe a sinus infection, but told us to watch for a rash because it could be hand-foot-mouth. He put her on Amoxycillin for the sinus infection.
Then yesterday she wakes up after a fitful night of sleep grumpy as can be and I notice a rash all over her back - not at all like what I was told to look for with hand-foot-mouth.
Back to the Doctor...
this time he knew without even looking at her. Roseola. Poor thing. The good news is that by the time the rash shows up, she is on the mend.
The bad news.. she also has an ear infection.
No wonder she is soooooooo grumpy. I can't wait for her to start feeling better.
I miss my happy little girl. And I feel so bad for her.
She is so uncomfortable that she wants to be held all the time, but she doesn't want to be touched.
My poor Sickly Little Mess.